USB

How to Fix Unknown USB Device (Device Descriptor Request Failed) error?

14 minutes read

Unknown USB device driver error is one of the most common errors in Windows computers. This device descriptor error can make it really hard for you to access your important data on your USB drive. This article has everything you need to know on fixing unknown USB device in Windows. If you have a corrupt or damaged USB drive and are looking for recovering data, you can also make use of Remo Recover.

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Table Of Contents:

What is a Device Descriptor?

Device Descriptor, as the word suggests, is information about a USB device or any other external storage device. This device descriptor comes in handy when your USB device is connected to the PC. This information will be shared with the computer, when your device is connected and helps in the identification of the device driver to be loaded.

fix usb device descriptor error

What is this Unknown USB Device (Device Descriptor Request Failed) Error?

An unknown USB device (device descriptor request failed error code 43) is an error that usually shows up if the USB device descriptor malfunctions leading to the PC not being able to recognize the USB device. When your USB or any storage device connected to the computer is not working properly or if the USB drive is damaged or corrupt, then you will encounter one of the following error messages.

  • Unknown USB device (device descriptor request failed) code 43.
  • One of the USB devices attached to this computer has malfunctioned, and Windows does not recognize it.
  • USB device not recognized. The last USB device you connected to this computer malfunctioned, and Windows does not recognize it.
  • USB DEVICE_DESCRIPTOR_FAILURE
  • USB vid_0000&pid_0008 5&3a33fe6e&0&5
  • Try reconnecting the device. If Windows still does not recognize it, your device may not be working properly.

Quick Fixes for Unknown USB Device in Windows 10 or Windows 11

  • Connect The USB Via Different USB Ports
  • Connect the USB to another PC/laptop and check if the issue persists

If an unknown USB device error is caused by hardware issues, then the above steps fix the issue permanently. If you are still facing the issue, you can go ahead and make use of the solution mentioned in the sections below.

What Causes the Device Descriptor Request Failed Error?

Before we go ahead and try to fix this device descriptor request failed error, let us understand what causes the device descriptor request failed error:

  • One of the most common reasons behind the device descriptor request failed error is when Windows cannot find the description of the Windows device.
  • When there is a connection issue with the computer, it might lead to the error code 43 cannot communicate with the computer.
  • USB or the storage device you have connected to the computer is corrupt or damaged.
  • Using outdated device drivers on your computer.
  • Outdated BIOS can also lead to this error.
  • Physical damage to the USB drive like bad sectors can also contribute to the device descriptor request failed error

How to Fix Unknown USB Device Descriptor Request Failed In Windows 10 or 11?

Typically, this error can be caused due to an outdated driver, software error, faulty USB controller, hardware issues, etc. And, as basic troubleshooting, follow below mentioned simple instructions to fix the unknown USB device (device descriptor request failed) error.

1. Check for USB Connectivity issues

Before you head to fix the error ‘USB device descriptor failed’ error, the first thing you need to verify is the USB connectivity issues. Check if your USB is connected properly, if not try connecting your USB to the other USB port or the Windows computer. Once you know that your USB does not have any connectivity issues then you can try updating the USB device drivers.  

2. Update USB Device Drivers

Sometimes if your USB device drivers are not updated then it might lead to ‘usb device descriptor failure Windows’ error. Follow the below steps to fix the issue.

  • In the Windows Control Panel.
go to the control panel
  • Search Device Manager and look for USB.
now update the driver
  • Right-click on the Update driver.

Alternative Method: Update Generic USB hub driver

  • Go to the Device Manager from the Search bar.
go to the device manager
  • Navigate to the Universal Serial Bus controllers section and select the Generic USB hub option by expanding the Universal Serial Bus controllers section.
  • Now right click on the Generic USB hub option and select Update drivers.
update the driver

Now this will fix the issue, if the issue is not fixed then you can move to the next section of the article.  

3. Uninstall USB Drivers

You can try uninstalling the USB drivers to help fix the USB compatibility issues with Windows.

  • Go to the Device Manager by typing in the Search Bar.
go to the device manager
  • Find Universal Serial Bus controllers and expand them.
  • Right-click on USB drivers and opt for Uninstall
fix usb device descriptor error
  • Do this one after the other for all USB drivers
  • Restart the computer (so that Windows reinstall the device automatically)

Note: If your USB device is logically damaged or corrupted, then you should get the corrupted USB flash drive repaired first. It is suggested to perform USB data recovery before you start repairing the drive to safeguard important files and folders present on it. Later you can format the disk for reuse if it is not physically damaged.

4. Scan Hardware changes after Removing USB Drive

Make sure you have unplugged the USB drive before following the below-mentioned steps to see if the USB drive still shows error or not:

  • Open Device Manager from the Search Bar and click on Action
device manager
  • Select Scan for hardware changes from the menu.
scan for hardware changes
  • After the system has completed recognizing all the hardware changes you can go ahead and plug in the USB drive to check if it is working.

5. Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter

In case, if your USB driver has any hardware related issues you can try troubleshooting it to fix the error ‘a request for the USB device descriptor failed windows 10’.

  • Go to Settings, and click on Update and Security.
  • Go to Troubleshoot
click on the troubleshoot
  • Under Troubleshoot, click on Hardware and Devices troubleshooter and Run the troubleshooter.
go to the hardware and device troubleshooter
  • This will start the troubleshooting process. After completion of the process, try and use the device with the USB device descriptor failed issue. If you are still facing the issue, you can go ahead and try the next method.

6. Change USB Selective Suspend Settings

This methods can help you fix the ‘unknown USB device device descriptor failed’ by reducing the overall power consumption when the device is not in use.

  • Press Windows + R and type Control hit OK.
select the control
  • This will open the Control panel in a separate Window. Go to Power Options and click Show additional plans to reveal the hidden section.
  • Now click on Change settings that are currently unavailable.
  • On the next screen, click on High-Performance plan and then Change plan settings.
  • Now find the USB settings, click on USB Selective Suspend Setting, and disable the plugged-in and On battery options.
select the power options
  • Click OK and restart your computer to see if you have fixed the unknown USB device error

7. Disable Fast Startup in Windows

The fast startup feature in Windows will help your computer boot faster when your computer is put to sleep or hibernate. The issue with a fast startup is sometimes it fails to detect the connected external storage devices like USB and leads to an unknown USB device descriptor request failed error. Follow the below-mentioned steps to turn off fast startup:

  • Windows + R, and type Control hit OK.
go to the control
  • This will open the Control Panel in a separate Window. Here type Power Options and click on Change what the power buttons do.
  • Now click on Change settings that are currently unavailable under the Define Power buttons and turn on Password protection.
  • On the next screen, click on High-Performance plan, then click on Change plan settings.
  • Disable Turn on Fast Startup under Shutdown settings and Save the changes

Restart your computer and see if you have fixed USB issues; if not, you can go ahead and try the next method.

8. Restore the System to the Previous Point

If the USB drive was working fine on your computer and you started experiencing the problem after making changes to the system, then it seems you need to restore your computer to the previous point. And to restore Windows 10 system to a previous working point.

  • Launch Control Panel from the Start menu.
control panel
  • Click on the Recovery option.
  • Select System Restore.
go to system restore
  • Provide Password Credentials if asked.
  • Select the recent restore point from the list and proceed.
  • Hit the Finish button.

9. Try to Uninstall the Windows Update

Sometimes your computer's performance may be negatively impacted by incompatible Windows updates. Windows 10's unknown USB device descriptor request failed error could potentially be caused by compatibility problems. The best thing you can do is try uninstalling the updates that were the source of the issue.

  • Go to the Update and Security in the Settings, or type Check for Updates in the Search bar.
check for updates
  • Check for the latest updated Windows update and Uninstall it.
update the windows

If you are still unable to fix the issue, then you can try formatting the drive. Formatting might result in data loss. Before you head to format the drive to resolve the issue, you can try to back up and recover your deleted files from USB or even files lost due to corruption or formatting without any hassle using the Remo Recover tool.

10. Format the USB drive

Formatting your USB drive can help you erase the data on your USB drive. In case you have already formatted the drive try avoiding adding new data to it. Adding new data can result in overwriting.

  • Right-click on your USB and select the Format option.
click on the format
  • Now fill the details and select the Quick Format option and click on the OK
quick format

Last Resort: Recover Data from USB Drive with Unknown USB Device Error

If none of the above-mentioned methods helped you to fix the USB drive error, then the last resort is to make use of USB data recovery software to recover data from a USB drive.

Remo Recover is the most recommended USB data recovery tool that can help you recover data from USB drives without any corruption or damage. Download the tool now to start restoring data from USB with an unknown USB device error.

Source: Trustpilot

Conclusion:

All the methods mentioned in the article will help you fix an unknown USB device descriptor request failed error. If you have further questions regarding any information mentioned in the article, do make use of the comment section below and let us know your thoughts. If you liked the article, do not forget to share the word on social media.

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. Can I Compel my Windows to detect my Flash drive?

You can try to force your Windows to detect your USB drive by following the steps below.
●      First thing is to connect your USB drive, which is not detecting Windows, and go to the Device Manager.
●      Once you try to disconnect your USB drive to see if it is able to detect it, try to connect it to your other Windows/ USB port to check if it is able to be detected by your Windows or not.
●      Finally, you can update the USB drivers if still the issue isn't resolved. 

2. Can I Repair a Damaged USB Flash Stick?

Yes, it is possible to repair the damaged USB drive; if the USB drive is logically damaged, you can try using the Chkdsk command or error-checking tool to fix the issue. In case your USB drive is physically broken, then you can take assistance from the data recovery services.

3. How do I turn off Receiving ‘unknown device descriptor request failed’ error message on your USB?

To turn off receiving the error message on Windows when you have connected a USB drive with a device descriptor error, then follow the steps below.
●      In your Windows, navigate to the Settings option and then click on the Device.
●      Then, from the Device tab, navigate to the USB, then uncheck the box with Notify me if there are issues connecting to USB devices message.
Now you will not be able to receive any notifications from the USB. 

4. What are the different types of USB device-side drivers in Windows 10?

Device drivers are crucial because they enable communication between certain devices and the Windows PC and other hardware parts. Following are a few USB device-side drivers in Windows 10. 
●      USB function class driver
●      USB function class extension
●      USB function client driver
●      USB lower filter driver

About the Author: John Harris

With a decade of experience in data recovery, John Harris, Senior Editor at Remo Software, is your go-to specialist. His focus includes partition management, Windows solutions, and data troubleshooting, delivering insightful content that serves both users and search engines. John's expertise shines through in illuminating blog posts, untangling data loss intricacies across diverse storage platforms.…